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The Reynoldsburg teacher who resigned last week after being accused of urging gifted students to
fail a science pretest had expired credentials to teach gifted children.

Heather Campbell said she was in the process of renewing her state endorsement after it lapsed
in June.

But district investigators discovered she had taken no steps to renew the endorsement as they
examined whether Campbell encouraged students to draw pictures of a cat or rock or use texting
shorthand such as IDK or LOL on a science assessment last month.

The test was part of the district’s new evaluation system, which grades teachers in part by how
much their students improve over the school year.

On a related note, Reynoldsburg Superintendent Steve Dackin sent a letter to employees after
Campbell’s resignation.

“What I want you to understand is that the accusation in this case was not a simple misstep,
misunderstanding of instructions, or failure to manage student behavior,” he wrote. “I do not
believe this is indicative of a pattern in our district. Good teachers would be appalled by the
circumstances.”

• • •

A controversial online video targeting two Olentangy school-board candidates has been removed
after its makers said they received threats.

The video attempts to connect candidates Katy Barricklow and Brian Helwig to the Springboro
school district near Dayton. According to the video, the school board there dismantled sports,
scared off teachers with pay cuts, brought creationism to the classroom and hung a Confederate flag
at a meeting.

A narrator suggests that the same could happen in Olentangy if Barricklow and Helwig are elected
alongside board member Adam White, who often disagrees with his colleagues.

In news reports, though, the Springboro superintendent lambasted the video, countering many of
its accusations (although a Confederate flag was hung once over the summer, to his chagrin).

So why is Springboro talk of the town here? One school-board member there, Kelly Kohls, heads an
association of conservative school officials, and Olentangy’s White is a member. White also backs
Helwig and Barricklow.

The video had been posted by YouTube user “Olentangy United” but is now replaced with a new
video that reads: “When threats and intimidation make you begin to fear for your family’s safety,
it’s time to take the video down.”

• • •

Whether she wants it or not, Jennifer Best has union approval.

Best, a Worthington school-board member who is up for re-election, declined to be interviewed
for endorsement by the district teachers union, saying it would be a conflict of interest when the
board negotiates a new labor contract.

Fellow board member Marc Schare opted out for similar reasons.

But the union has “recommended” Best anyway, meaning the union supports her but won’t distribute
yard signs or contribute to her campaign. Board President David Bressman and challenger Sam Shim
were endorsed.